Flying Rail Train

Trains Magazine General Discussion
1

I am trying to find out what issue the article on the Flying Rail Train was in. The runaway was a welded rail train east boundout of Pittsburg that lost its brakes, but made the curves due to the rail. In “Mountain Railroad Revisited” (Jan 1985) Mr Fred Frailey talks about it on page 33. My Father had a Trains Magazine that had a full article on it, but the magazine was lost. I am trying to find a replacement, but I do not know the year or month. The runaway occurred January 1975 (I think on the 18th). The train stopped east of Altoona PA.

Does anyone have anymore information about article? Mr Frailey does not have a citation in the Jan. 1985 article, so that article is of limited use to me.

Thank you.

2

Aside from that article, the only other reference to that event which comes to mind is a brief mention in the late Charles S. Roberts’ book, Triumph I: PRR - Altoona to Pitcairn (Barnard Roberts & Co.). I might have seen it mentioned someplace else, but I’m sure there wasn’t ever a full-length article on it or other mention of it in Trains, other than that Frailey article.

  • Paul North.

P.S. - Fred also mentions it briefly in this entry from his blog series here, at:

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/themes/blogs/trn/post.aspx?WeblogApp=fred-frailey&y=2010&m=06&d=18&PostName=up-and-over-the-alleghenies